


The discussion

by Leor_Ataraxia



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Anti-Catholicism, F/M, Prompt: Criticism of Religious Hierarchy, References to Norse Religion & Lore, brief mention of pedophilia, extremely self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28161150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leor_Ataraxia/pseuds/Leor_Ataraxia
Summary: Is time for Annabeth's and Percy's daughter to go to school, and Mrs. Chase has a few ideas on her own; some of which Annabeth doesn't approve of.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46
Collections: Banned Together Bingo 2020





	The discussion

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the grammar mistakes, I'm still learning English.
> 
> This is part of Banned Together Bingo, the prompt is "Criticism of Religious Hierarchy"
> 
> Since canon didn't give Mrs. Chase a name, her name here is Sara.

"Absolutely not," Said Annabeth with determination in her voice, and the woman in front of her just sighs with disappointment.

That just made the blonde frown more, while her husband was looking at this like it was a tennis game. 

Annabeth and Percy had a daughter some years ago, and she was getting on age to go to elementary school, and the discussion was about where to send little Jade; if a school in New Rome, or in the mortal world. 

Her stepmother wanted to send her to a catholic school that was close to the area; something her stepdaughter was not exactly comfortable with. 

They were both sitting at opposites sides of a dining table, with Percy beside Annabeth while Frederick was away from work. They were in the Chase residence, for their visit to the grandparents; that sadly ended with Annabeth's dad needed to go away from an emergency, and what appeared to be an amicable discussion ended up in the mess that was starting to become. 

"Be reasonable with this" said Mrs. Chase, who was using a non-conflicting tone and appeared a lot calmer than the demigoddess. She had her hair in a bun, just like Percy meet her years ago; and using a salmon pink blouse with a navy-blue pencil skirt; with the pearl necklace, she appeared more like a secretary than another thing "The school has an amazing reputation; the teachers are excellent; it just so happens to be a catholic school"

"And the fact that you are Catholic doesn't have anything to do with this?" Annabeth said, arching her brow. Percy tried the best to not comment on that note as well. 

In all honestly, Percy just wanted to check that the teachers were understandable, the reputation of the school wasn't as important; but to get to that front, they needed to check which school would be first, and that was something Annabeth was more interested in. While Jade had manifested some water powers, she was also a legacy of Athena and Annabeth wanted a school that could nurture her imminent desire for wisdom.

Something that (in Annabeth's eyes) was not going to happen in a catholic school.

"I'm just looking at the best option here, besides, don't you guys have catholic friends? Your friend Nico for example?"

Her stepdaughter did not bother to hide the roll of her eyes "He is Jewish, just like his husband; just because he is Italian doesn't make him catholic; Sara"

The named one just try to not sigh once more and decided to say "Your brothers studied in that school, and it helped incredibly well in their transcriptions to a great middle school" 

"How you and my father educated my siblings is your business, though I still wonder how you guys reached that conclusion; my dad and I practice Ásatrú!"

"You practice it?" said Percy, mildly shocked; Annabeth glared at him while Sara tries her best to not laugh, and fail.

The Chase family has believed in the Norse gods for generations, longer than any of them had bothered to count; while practicing in secret in certain time periods for protection and fear of issues with the overly Christian society, that has not stopped. Well, until Sara came to their lives that is. 

Annabeth remember clearly how their Yule tree suddenly became a Christmas tree, stopped doing the rituals, and celebrating the birth of "god" 

("Which god?" Young Annabeth used to ask, not totally understand the concept at all.

"The only one that it is, Annabeth!" Sara would reprimand, mildly bewildered that she does not know this; and probably before Frederick told them that neither of them were Christian)

"I may have been somewhere lax in the last few...decades, thanks to the turn of events in our lives" she said, remembering the wars, the different times they move, the birth of Jade and Andrew; and how her focus on career and studies on her own pantheon has put a dent in learning about the religion she practiced in her childhood, except the times she spoke with Magnus "But it doesn't change that I still do little things, like cleansing or blot rituals"

"So, the rituals you do are for the Norse gods?"

"Which gods do you believe I was doing it?" 

"I wasn't sure! We are Greek, so it may be that; but we have a residence in New Rome so it may be those, perhaps the Egyptian ones if you are desperate for somebody who has better chances of answering- Listen you know as soon as I see something that may have to do with a god, ANY god, I go as far away from it" 

"So, in what you believe, Percy?" Sara decided to ask, mildly curious and interested if she could move Annabeth's husband to her side, as unlikely as it was since the man was exceptionally loyal in most of the arguments.

"I'm an atheist" said Jackson, with a deadpan voice.

At that response, the Asian woman blinked, as confused as she can be.

"But...you are the son of a god, and had met multiple ones along the way, so why-"

"My reasoning is that if I don't believe in them, then maybe they would stop bothering me," He said, as simple as it could be. 

He was only half-joking. 

It was a curious situation; two Greek demigods who lived in a roman city, have a good relationship with Egyptian magicians, one practiced Ásatrú and the other refused to believe in anything; were now discussing with a catholic woman where to send the child to school.

It was an uncommon situation. 

"Is incredibly interesting that we had met so many gods, and yet we haven't heard a word of yours" Annabeth said while looking at her nails, like it was talking about the weather.

Sara gasped, and Percy just facepalmed at the mention of that argument. 

"You didn't go there" her stepmother whispered, clearly becoming mad about the mere suggestion. 

"I'm just saying! Besides, the first time Percy and I went to the underworld, there was a priest down there; how come he didn't went to your afterlife?" 

"He probably wasn't a true believer, those incidents can happen"

"But he was a priest, and speaking of which; there is a bunch who are corrupt or even worse than that, I would first stab one of them that let them do something to my daughter"

"How dare you to suggest-!"

"Okay, okay, time out" Percy decided to stop this before it went physical, something he wasn't disqualifying as possible as his knowledge of Christians had taught him something, is that some subjects were sensible, and corruption and the existence of their god were both. 

Percy wished he had that situation; instead of corrupt gods that definitely existed and were a pain in the ass. 

Both women looked at him, one angrier than the other, and he kind of wondered how good was the idea of open his mouth. 

"We all want what is best for Jade, right?" He nodded a little, while showing his hands as a way to look more understanding "What if we ask what she wants? Is worth a try"

They looked at him with apprehension, making him almost break to sweat; there are things that feel more dangerous than monsters and his wife and step-mother-in-law were one of them; at least he could defend himself from monsters. Finally, they both accepted his judgement and he could finally breathe. 

"Jade! Come here!" Percy screamed, hearing the little steps of a smaller figure coming from one of the rooms. 

"Coming!" Said the named one, appearing in front of them soon enough. She had black, rebellious hair that went to her back, sea-green eyes that were also from her father, but the shape of the eyes, nose and skin tone of her mother. She was wearing a little mermaid sky blue shirt, with a ruffled white skirt and white ballerinas; with the control of the newest Nintendo console in her little hands. 

Percy goes out of his chair and kneels in front of his child, with a sympathetic smile and a look in his eyes that shows the pure love he had for his daughter. He remembered how little Gabe made him feel, acting taller and bigger than him; and wanting to be as opposite of that man as possible, he concentrated on making her daughter feel seen. 

"Hey sweetie, we were talking about your future school, and were wondering which elementary school you wanted to attend, we have a few opt-"

"New Rome's!" She answered quickly, putting both hands over her head. 

The three adults looked at each other. 

The New Rome Elementary school was relatively small, though growing with the influx of Greek demigods who moved to the city and had children; it was humble, and in case one of the children studied outside after graduating, the mist made the school appear as normal and unappealing as possible, to ensure that nobody would snoop around in the records. 

While appeared to be the obvious answer, the reason why they haven't go with it was again that it was small, not that prestigious, and would not help to go to a better school in the outside world since it needed to look so common. 

"Are you sure of that princess? Why you want to go there?"

"My friends are there!" Her response was simple, and made Percy smile.

Of course, this is what she wants; she didn't care about fancy schools or renowned teachers, she just wanted to be with the people she already knew. And to be honest? That was enough for Percy. 

The son of Poseidon looked at his wife, and put those baby seal eyes that normally wouldn't look well in an adult and yet somehow, fit perfectly in him. Annabeth rolled her eyes, but smiled while shaking her head. 

"We could check how the teachers are there" she decided to answer, knowing that was Percy's requirement for a good school. That just made the man love her even more, knowing how much he cared about that.

Sara Chase just sighs once more, yet felt calmer now that the reputation of her religion wasn't on the table. 

She still wondered how she got involved in a family full of pagans. 

**Author's Note:**

> It wasn't the idea I had in my mind, and I didn't criticize as much I could, but oh well here we go. 
> 
> I was raised catholic, in a catholic country, and almost my entire family is catholic; so I think I have some right to complain about stuff sometimes. 
> 
> I try to make more descriptions, I didn't make all that I should, but I think it works I guess? 
> 
> I freaking hate percabeth, so I hope my work wasn't biased for that, we can only hope.
> 
> Curious fact but when I was around that age, my mother asked me which elementary school I wanted to go, since there was two close to our home and I could choose; I choose one because my friends were going there. So yeah Jade's experience was based on that.  
> I regret that choice tho. 
> 
> That's it, hope somebody enjoys this.


End file.
